Wrench



H. C. SUTHERLAND.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED LAN. i0, 1921.

1,406,910, v Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

warren HARRY C. SUTHERLAND, 01* OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

wnnncrrl Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed. January 10, 1821 Serial No. 436,235.

Toe to 710m it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. SUTHER- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVr-enches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wrenches, which may be used for various purposes, but which are particularly useful as pipe wrenches.

The objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of wrenches, which may be used for pipes, nuts, or the like; to provide a wrench having automatic or self closing features whereby the Wrench may be conveniently used with one hand; to provide a wrench having spring actuated clamping jaws, and a trigger for holdingthe jaws in open position; and in general to provide such an improved wrench construction as willbe described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying; drawings showing one form of this invention;

Figure 1 is a side view showing the jaws in open position; and,

Figure 2 is a view of the head showing parts broken away or in section to illustrate the interio construction.

As shown in these drawings, the wrench has a handle 8, whichis provided at one end with a lateral projection 4. This projection has a face 5 arranged obliquely to the handle and has a cam portion 6' on the back thereof. Two side plates 7 are pivoted at 8 to the handle and carry one of the clamping jaws 9, this jaw being preferably provided with teeth 10 when the wrench is to be used for pipes. This aw may be formed integrally with the plates or may be secured thereto by means of rivets 11. A curved arm 12 is pivoted at 13 to the plates 7 and has a jaw 1 1 which coacts with the jaw 9 and which may be provided with teeth 15. The inner end 16 of the arm 12 engages with the cam or projection 6.

In order to'swing the jaws to locking or engaging position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, I provide spring actuating means which coacts with the different parts. In the particular arrangement shown, a plate 17 is secured to the jaw 9 by a screw 18, although it will be observed that these parts might be made of one piece. A compression spring 19 is inserted between the plate 17 and the projection l a recess 20 beingprovlded in the handle for receiving this spring.

It will be readily apparent that this spring tends to swing the plates 7 forwardly with respect to the handle, which causes the proection 16 to press against the projection 1- and swing the arm 12 so that the jaw 15 will approach the jaw 9. i

In order to hold the jaws apart or in open position, as shown .in Figure 2, I provide a trigger mechanism, which is preferably ar ranged so that it may be actuated by contact with the pipe or part to which the wrench is to be applied. This trigger 21 comprises a bent linger having flanges 22, which engage with the sides of the arm 12 and are pivoted thereto at 28. The inner end of the trigger engages with a notch or recess 2 1 in the jaw 9 when the jaws are in open position. A spring 25 is inserted between the trigger 21 and the arm 12 in order to swing the trigger to locking position.

lVhen the wrench is to be applied to a pipe, rod, or the like, the head may be swung so that the trigger will engage with the pipe thereby releasing the arm 12 and permitting the jaw 141- to swing around so as to engage with the pipe and press the pipe against the jaw 9, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The wrench is then in position to be operated and needs no further adjustment to make it fit any pipe within the range for which it is constructed. When the wrench is to be withdrawn from the pipe, the user may merely pull on the handle which throws the arm 12 back to its original or open position. The catch or trigger 21 will then engage with the seat 24 and hold the jaw. This operation permits the wrench to be used with one hand and without the necessity of any adjustment of the jaws. This makes the wrench particularly useful in working on steam pipes, as for instance, when the steam may be escaping. It is also particularly useful in close quarters as on a locomotive or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

In a wrench, the combination of a handle having a projection at one end, plates pivoted adjacent to the end, a aw member secured to said plates, an arm pivoted to said trigger and the arm, said trigger having a )I'OjQCtlOD extending between said plates and adapted to engage with one end of the first 10 named jaw member for holding the jaws in open position.

HARRY U. SUTHERLAND. 

